Thursday, July 30, 2015

Again, a noticeable departure from his work as the timekeeper in
Journey, Steve Smith's Vital Information project is straight-ahead,
no-frills fusion from the '80s. Orion pretty much stays within the
formula that made Vital Information's debut album so catchy and
accessible: slick production and smooth musicianship atop a sheer layer
of gloss for sonic measure. Smith holds it down in the background while
the band plays through melodies that
wouldn't be out of place on records à la their contemporaries. Not the
band's strongest effort, but definitely not their weakest either.

When the people at Modern Drummer magazine conceived the idea of an
album highlighting some of the most innovative drummers on the scene
today, they probably didn't realize they would also be making a
statement applicable to all instruments: that there are some people who
are players of their instruments, and then there are musicians —artists
who transcend the boundaries of their instrument, rise above the
egotistical concerns of demonstrating just how good they are and
ambitiously aim, instead, to create compelling musical statements.
Modern Drummer Presents Drum Nation Volume One has its share of both,
but, happily, the tendency leans towards artists whose interests lie
beyond merely the potential of their chosen instrument.
Take Bill
Bruford's reading of "Beelzebub," an interesting choice because it
finds Bruford's recent all-acoustic Earthworks ensemble tackling the
first track from his first solo album, Feels Good to Me ('78), a more
electric fusion affair that included guitarist Allan Holdsworth. With
his current group of pianist Steve Hamilton, woodwind
multi-instrumentalist Tim Garland and acoustic bassist Mark Hodgson,
Bruford proves that good material transcends context and
instrumentation. While Bruford's mathematically-precise drumming still
drives this complicated little piece, he has loosened up over the years.
And Garland's bass clarinet and soprano saxophone bring a different
complexion to the tune, making it every bit as relevant as the original.
Chad Wackerman uses his space to continue documenting his most recent
band of Australians, including vibraphonist Daryl Pratt, bassist Leon
Gaer and, in particular, young guitarist James Muller, who continues to
be one of the most inventive players you've never heard. "The Spell" is a
clever and more cerebral kind of fusion that should make listeners want
to dash out to check out Scream ('00) and the more recent Legs Eleven
('03), both featuring this fine group.
Stanton Moore, of Galactic
fame, continues to mine the wealth of New Orleans rhythms, this time
augmenting his organ-guitar-bass-baritone quintet with a six-piece horn
section to give "Sprung Monkey" an authentic New Orleans street vibe.
Steve Smith, teamed with tabla master Zakir Hussain, delivers the
eleven-minute opus "Mad Tea Time," which successfully traverses the
boundary between East and West, climaxing with a thrilling series of
trade-offs between drums and tablas. And British legend Simon Phillips
delivers a pedal-to-the-metal piece of high octane fusion with
"Manganese," featuring not only his fine drumming, but also guitarist
Andy Timmons, a player we ought to be hearing more from.
While
the rest of the tracks successfully demonstrate the innovative minds of
its creators—most notably Terry Bozzio's "A Glimpse into a Deeply
Disturbed Mind," which turns techno on its ear by having live drums
trigger and work off sampled sounds instead of sampled sounds working
off programmed drum rhythms—the album really does separate the men from
the boys when it comes to true artists versus players. Still, Modern
Drummer Presents Drum Nation Volume One is a captivating look into the
instrument's potential, highlighting several artists who are certainly
worthy of more than a second look.

Track Listing:

A Glimpse into a
Deeply Disturbed Mind; Beelzebub; Mad Tea Time Part 1; Mad Tea Time
Part 2; The Spell; Sprung Monkey; Manganese; Lagerborg; Faceless
Pastiche; Shut Up and Play Yer Drums; Wandering Portland Maine; Pull Up
My Sleeve

Thrust is a jazz-funk album by Herbie Hancock, released in September
6, 1974 on Columbia Records. It served as a follow-up to Hancock's
album, Head Hunters (1973), and achieved similar commercial success, as
the album reached as high as number 13 on the Billboard Hot 200 listing.
The lineup for Thrust is the same as on Head Hunters, except Mike Clark
replaced Harvey Mason on drums. This is Hancock's thirteenth album
overall.
The composition "Actual
Proof" was originally written for the film The Spook Who Sat By the
Door, and Hancock has used it as a demonstration of his style of playing
the Fender Rhodes piano.[3]
The composition "Butterfly" would subsequently be performed on the live
album, Flood, and two more studio releases: Direct Step and Dis Is Da
Drum. Butterfly is the opening track on Eddie Henderson's album Mahal
(1978); the album features Hancock on keyboards

Word of Mouth was the second album by Jaco Pastorius, released in
1981 while the bassist was a member of Weather Report, and also the name
of a big band group that Pastorius assembled and with whom he toured
from 1981 to 1983. While his debut album showcased his eclectic and
impressive skills on the electric bass, Word of Mouth focused more on
his ability to compose and arrange for a larger band than was previously
featured on his first album. The album still shows off Pastorius'
skill, most notably in the solo opening to the Bach-written "Chromatic
Fantasy" and the title track, "Word of Mouth," in which Pastorius' bass
is drenched in fuzzy distortion. "Crisis" also features a fast bass
pattern looping, which runs under the frantic soloing. Most of the rest
of the album's bass is highly subdued and blends into the band's
arrangement, allowing them to shine through. The song "John and Mary" is
dedicated to Jaco's children from his first marriage to Tracy; he had
two other children, twin sons Julius and Felix with his second wife,
Ingrid.
The band's all-star cast included Herbie Hancock, Wayne
Shorter, Peter Erskine, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Brecker, Don Alias and
Toots Thielemans who is featured on harmonica on many of the songs.
Early pressings of the album did not include a list of musicians, though
later releases listed only the names of the performers in respective,
unnamed groups (for example, the main band was the first block of
names.) The reason that early pressings of the album had no personnel
listed was because Epic/CBS disputed Pastorius' contract with Warner,
and only agreed to the album being released if no other CBS artists on
the album were credited - prompting Pastorius to dispense with the
credits altogether.

For the original LP, Cassette and CD release, "Crisis" was 5:21.
However, for reasons that are unclear, the current MP3 downloads cut the
first three seconds of the improvisation. The 1981 Warner Brothers
promo disc has the 5:17 listing for "Crisis."

Toss into the musical blender the spirits of Stevie Wonder,
Crusaders, Van Halen, Sting, Dr. John, and Chick Corea; turn on the
fire, low for easy simmering blues-rock at times, high for a fiery
intensity that busts the borders between R&B and fusion. The result:
the Dave Weckl Band's hard-to-categorize adventure, Rhythm of the Soul.
Here, he celebrates his liberation from Corea's Elektric fold with a
vengeance. The ensemble ventures into a
variety of decades: the 70s, with Steve Tavaglione blowing percussive
sax over Buzz Feiten's wah-wah over Jay Oliver's Fender Rhodes Crusaders
feel; to the 60s, where, on "101 Shuffle," Weckl and Tom Kennedy lay a
throbbing foundation based on Booker T's "Green Onions" for the playful
interaction of saxman Bob Malach and Feiten; and even the 80s, where
Gambale does his best Eddie Van Halen power guitar to drive the rockin'
blues of "Access Denied." Weckl's skin and high-hat energy jumps out at
every turn, most notably on the jams but also on the more subtly
rhythmic "Mud Sauce" and the dreamy ballad "Song for Claire." Those
tunes are the cool oases in the midst of the piping gumbo.

Guitarist Scott Henderson is a fusion fanatic's dream, by virtue of
his wild yet fluid and even melodic riffs. Bassist Gary Willis lacks
Henderson's range compositionally and as a player, but still manages to
keep the proceedings grooving. Backed by the keys of David Goldblatt,
Joey Heredia's drums and the percussion of Brad Dutz, the two form a
powerful musical bond as Tribal Tech. Unlike their previous album, TT's
new disc features more melodies (the
best ones, "Peru" and "Signal Path" are by Henderson), the softening
effect of Goldblatt's key soloing and a tighter tune structure and
production all around. There's still lots and lots of improvising, but
on the less memorable Willis tunes, it seems to go on interminably. Pop
jazz fans will finally be able to relate to Henderson's solid playing by
virtue of a smoother context, but it's still mostly geared for the
guitar lover or student. Extra credit is due for the very creative song
titles, including "Elvis at the Hop" and "The Necessary Blond."

It may be surprising to learn that legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius
had deep roots in the big band tradition. His father Jack was a big band
singer and drummer in the late '40s and early '50s, and in Jaco's early
twenties he played for five years with the Peter Graves Orchestra, a
progressive big band located in Ft. Lauderdale. Graves' orchestra gave
Pastorius valuable experience writing and arranging – and provided a
supportive environment for his blossoming genius.
Then in 1975
Pastorius left the band and released his self-titled debut album, which
propelled him into the spotlight. His subsequent work with Weather
Report, Pat Metheny, and Joni Mitchell continued his phenomenal rise. He
still gigged with Graves whenever he was in Florida, and when he left
Weather Report in 1982 he formed his big band Word of Mouth, hiring
Graves and other members of his orchestra.
Twenty years later,
Graves has returned the favor by forming the Jaco Pastorius Big Band and
releasing Word of Mouth Revisited. Although this is clearly a personal
project for Graves, his aims are broad: he wants to continue Pastorius'
legacy (the bassist died in 1987) by presenting his songs and
arrangements in a fresh setting, as well as showcase some of jazz's best
electric bassists. Actually it's a heartfelt project for everyone
involved; many of the musicians played with Pastorius, all of the
bassists are indebted to him, and there's even fine bass work by
Pastorius' nephew David. And to help involve the listener, the CD has
soundbites of Pastorius conducting, giving a taste of the personality
behind the talent.
All this plus fine musicianship yields an
excellent collection that celebrates and explores Pastorius' prodigious
gifts. There are early songs such as "Punk Jazz," "Cha Cha," "Opus
Pocus," and "Domingo," as well as Weather Report favorites "Havona,"
"Teen Town," and "Barbary Coast." Pastorius even plays on the CD; Herbie
Hancock's "Wiggle Waggle" features a Pastorius bass line lifted from a
late '70s gig, supplemented by enthusiastic studio work. The bassists
appearing on the recording are the cream of the crop: Victor Bailey,
Richard Bona, Jimmy Haslip, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, Gerald
Veasley and Victor Wooten. Also notable are the enthusiastic and
disciplined brass and woodwind sections.
Throughout the disc, the
musicians give life to Pastorius' melodic grooves and uplifting
rhythms, as compelling today as when they first appeared. The new
technology and new voices bring Pastorius' work into the 21st century,
where the seeds planted decades ago will surely continue to sprout.

Guitarist Tommy Bolin elevated the role of journeyman to a high
art. After leaving his home in Colorado, where he played with Energy and
Zephyr, he worked with fusion drummers Billy Cobham and Alphonse
Mouzon, joined a post-Joe Walsh James Gang, and went on to Deep Purple
when Richie Blackmore left the group. All of this occurred before and
during a solo career, which began with Teaser, a remastered, expanded
version that confirms Bolin's versatility as guitarist, songwriter and
singer. The original nine tracks resound with musicianship consisting of
a varying lineup of sidemen including: Mahavishnu Orchestra
keyboardistJan Hammer,Genesis drummer Phil Collins, and saxophonist
David Sanborn. Tracks such as "Wild Dogs" and "Homeward Strut" show
Bolin could lead a band in more ways than one.
The explosive
funk-driven opening that is "The Grind" suggests Bolin's intelligent
facility with a song, while the quiet likes of "Savannah Woman"
reaffirms that songwriting skill— not to mention his natural instincts
as a vocalist. The structure of the title song extends to the largely
improvisational likes of the six unreleased numbers on two other discs
of outtakes and alternate versions from the original sessions. They
suggest the source of the continuing resonance of this album some forty
years after its initial release and Bolin and co-producer/engineer
Dennis McKay had plenty of ideas to work with as they used only those
most effective.
Available on its own, as well as part of a box
set with the expanded three-disc Teaser, a double-disc package titled
Great Gypsy Soul furthers the concept of The Definitive Teaser
Collector's Edition. One disc, co- produced by Gov't Mule guitarist
Warren Haynes, finds such luminaries as guitarists Peter Frampton and
John Scofield adding their readily identifiable styles to tracks from
the original sessions, while the second disc is largely comprised of an
original extended piece inspired by Bolin's instrumental "Marching
Powder." Four movements include Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford and
Haynes, not to mention guitarist Derek Trucks, flashing his inimitable
power, the sum effect of which is a focused, inspired music not just
reminiscent of the album from which it is derived, but of a piece with
it.
Other titles of Bolin remain available from his own archives,
not to mention a second solo album Private Eyes (Columbia, 1976) and a
two-CD version of his sole Deep Purple studio work Come Taste the Band
(EMI, 2010). But, if the late lamented musician could choose a work by
which to be remembered best, odds are in the favor of Teaser, and this
package, notwithstanding its less than exemplary graphics design,
documents why.

Nomad is the third album by fusion band Tribal Tech, a project led by guitarist Scott Henderson and bassist Gary Willis.
Like its predecessors, Henderson's third date as a leader is a fine
example of how creative and inspired genuine jazz-rock can be. Tough and
aggressive yet full of appealing melodic and harmonic nuances, this CD
contains not one iota of the type of lightweight smooth jazz or Muzak
for which Henderson has often voiced his contempt. With
Nomad, Tribal Tech underwent a few personnel changes, and for the first
time, recorded an entire album minus a sax. While electric bassist Gary
Willis, drummer Steve Houghton, and percussionist/mallet player Brad
Dutz remained, saxman Bob Sheppard was gone, and keyboardist Pat Coil
had been replaced by David Goldblatt. Despite these changes, Tribal
Tech's sound (which was essentially guided by Henderson and Willis)
remained easily recognizable. The '70s breakthroughs of Weather Report,
Return to Forever, and John McLaughlin, among others, still had an
impact on Tribal Tech, but by 1988, it was even more evident that
Henderson was a fine soloist and composer in his own right.

Talk about a power trio! Emphasizing the ROCK half of jazz-rock
fusion, Vital Tech Tones brings together three monster players of the
genre, blends their creative juices and virtuosic abilities, and creates
a truly vital sound that reinvigorates and re-establishes fusion as a
viable part of the musical landscape. Most of the songs on this
recording started with drummer Steve Smith giving his rhythmic ideas to
bassist-extraordinaire Victor Wooten, who
developed a groove over which guitarist Scott Henderson worked melodies
and harmonies. Such a simple, straight-forward, jam-oriented process is
risky, but these three have the goods to pull it off, in the process
creating a fresh electric music unique for its time.
Although VTT has been a studio-only side project for these three, they
interact here as though they've been on the road together for several
years. It's loud, it's raw, and it's awesome -- just what aging baby
boomers need to cure their smooth jazz blues, just what generation X-ers
need to take them away from the tedious sameness of the alt-rock world.

Bing, Bing, Bing!
Studio album by the Charlie Hunter Trio
Released 1995 Genre Post-bop, acid jazz, jazz rock Label Blue Note Records
Bing, Bing, Bing! album by jazz musician Charlie Hunter. This was his
first album for the Blue Note label and features his 8-string guitar.
The cover is a retro homage to Horace Parlan's 1960 album, Speakin' My
Piece. The neon sign, 500 Club, is a landmark bar in San Francisco's
Mission District, a few blocks away from the Elbo Room nightclub where
the trio made a name for themselves (see Track 10).

Monday, July 6, 2015

In 1979 Mike Mainieri formed Steps (which later became Steps Ahead), an
all-star jazz oriented R&B band that originally included such
players as Mike Brecker, Don Grolnick, Eddie Gomez and Steve Gadd in its
line-up.

Now Steps’ groundbreaking debut CD has been
rereleased as a 2-CD set with three previously unreleased ‘bonus tracks’
and alternate takes which were just recently discovered in the musician’s personal tape collections.